Once Upon a True Love
by N.Thorny
Summary: After the events in season 6, Emma and Regina still have unfinished business to solve up. New Adventures coming for these woman to realize true love is still ahead. #SwanQueen trying my best to stick to the canon.
1. Chapter 1: Back on Track

_Well, I leave you with my first fanfic in the world of Once upon a time. I hope you enjoy it. I'm a fan of sticking to the canon of things and I like the idea of finding the little moments in which SwanQueen remains subtextually during the different seasons. Small moments and dialogues to which I will surely be making references. I place the story at the end of season 6,** before** the temporary ellipsis in which Henry leaves Storybrooke._

_This is a short episode, but it's just the beginning of the story._

_I hope you enjoy it. BTW, English is not my native language, so I also hope to be doing it well._

_I will be publishing often._

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EPISODE 1: BACK ON TRACK

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It's certanly weird how life happens just by itself, as if you don't have control over it at all. One day you're alone blowing a candle in your Boston apartment, and the next day you go back to your nice house and give your husband a hello kiss. Your husband, the one you met when you were accidentally sent to the Enchanted Forest, that time when you were trying to save your now-best-friend when she was still your fierce enemy. We won't even talk about the amount of villains that were beaten and the whole set of adventures during the past years.

It was remarkable to say, that after defeating the Black Fairy, Storybrooke had been living in an absolute peace and harmony for the past six months or so.

"Did you miss me today at the station, luv?" Hook asked, adjusting the strap of one of his navigation trunks.

"I did. Although you wouldn't have liked to go through all of that training with Pongo. I'm not so sure about Archie's idea of turning him into a police dog anymore." Emma sighed, showing him the nibbled sleeve of her jacket.

"I told you so," said Hook. He walked towards Emma and took her by the waist with one hand and a hook, "I'm going to miss you."

"Not as much as you miss the sea." Emma smiled. "It's only two weeks. Enjoy it. You know this town has many ways to ruin plans, so it's better to do what you want while you still can."

"You make it sound like this is just leisure. Remember this trip also has research purposes" Hook said, reminding his wife that the expedition also aimed to investigate further one of the caves that Captain Nemo had found lately on the maritime border of Storybrooke. "If what Captain Nemo thinks, it's true, we can know once and for all, that Makara is on this realm as well."

"You don't have to sell me the story once again." Emma laughed and rolled her eyes. "No beast is roaming the seas of Storybrooke. Just enjoy your vacation, Killian." She said kissing his cheek.

"We'll see about that." Hook said proudly. "Because, my lady, once I find it…"

At that moment, Emma's phone vibrated with a call that, given her expression, she was clearly waiting for. Hook threw a sigh and continued packing, gesturing Emma to answer.

"Hey, are you ready?" Emma looked at her watch, checking the time while hearing the other woman complaints "I'm sorry, your majesty. Ten minutes aren't a crime. I had a little trouble with Pongo and some wife-errands to run. Look, this is the plan. I'll pick you up in about twenty minutes. I have David's truck to help Killian with some stuff he has to take to his ship." Emma said muttering the next comment. "Uhm, no he hasn't left, we're actually dropping him in the port." There was silence on the other side of the line. Emma bit her lip and smiled once she got an affirmative answer. "Great. See you in a bit."

"Dropping me?" Hook teased. "In the old times women waited in the shore, crying while their men sailed away.

"I'm not the crying type." Emma joked and both smiled.

Hook started to load his luggage in David's truck and Emma placed a box of colorful and bright objects on the other side of the trunk. "It's going to be a great party, huh?"

"Well, it's been quite of a journey for Rubes and Dorothy." Emma answered almost excited. They had all prepared a small party to welcome the couple, after they had decided to come back to Storybrooke.

A while later they both parked outside Regina's mansion. Hook beeped the horn about three times and Emma threw a death glare at him "Hey! Stop." To which Captain Jones only laughed heartily. He was actually in a very good mood, knowing he would be back in the ocean soon. Regina opened the door indignantly and hurried into David's truck.

"Anyone would think you'd have better manners now that you're supposed to be royalty." Regina said squeezing herself next to Emma in the front seat.

"Nah. Once a sailor, always a sailor…" Hook said between teeth.

"Most probably." Regina adjusted her perfect dress and look out of the window.

Emma sighed looking ahead. From a time here, it was safe to say that the relationship between the former Queen and Hook had improved. They could both be in the same meetings and have a very friendly relationship between them. They even joked from time to time. However this was mostly during big gatherings. Emma had noted how when it was about them three only, there was a very evident tension floating around. Emma wasn't stupid, she knew Hook was a little bit jealous of Regina, and Regina had always considered annoying his rude manners, so Emma's fate was, pretty much, to just remain in the middle of these awkward once in a while moments.

They arrived at the Port and Emma and Hook got out of the vehicle. Hook gave a whistle and two of his sailors went to assist him immediately to unload the equipment. Regina also went down to avoid wrinkles in her dress. She approached Emma, who was looking at her husband and his men as they were going on and off the ship. "Are you all right?" Regina said.

"Me? Sure, I'd lie if I tell you I'm already used to this new married life. I guess I spent too much time by myself." Emma shrugged. "So, I'm actually okay with having sometime alone."

Regina smiled as if that statement had given her a little peace of mind. She was glad that her friend used to take things in such a relaxed way. Even though she knew that Emma wouldn't be one of those women who forget the world once they get married, she was happy to confirm that fact day by day.

For Regina, her friendship with Emma was one of the most invaluable things she possessed now, because the blonde was one of those people who showed her affection and loyalty with actions, and in a way that nobody else had done for her before. Regina knew that her redemption had been possible only because of the Savior. As if that was not big enough, beyond saving her heart, Emma had saved her life more than once.

Regina watched as Emma approached her husband for their farewell. While it was true that she despised Killian Jones a little less than before, it can't yet be said that she was happy to see him with Emma. She simply thought that the blonde could have done much better. She was a princess; she was a strong, independent, beautiful, loving woman. Why on earth Captain Hook? Besides that, it seemed too obvious to her that Emma's happiness was overly measured since she was with him. She even dared to think she had seen more life in Emma's eyes in the few moments she got to see her with Neil.

Emma and Hook started speaking with closeness, gave each other a hug and kissed goodbye. Regina looked away immediatly to give them some privacy.

"Promise me that you will think about what I told you." Said the pirate, hopeful.

"About what?" Emma asked, distracted.

"Uhm, the baby thing?"

"Oh, yeah, that ... Yeah, right," Emma said giving her husband another hug, pushing him a few steps back. "We'll talk about that when you get back."

The former Queen gave a quick glance to the couple and returned to the interior of the truck. 'The baby thing'. She had felt her stomach sink. She breathed deeply. Sometimes she was still assaulted by thoughts worthy of the Evil Queen, even though she knew for sure, it was not right at this point to feel so hurt and angry for someone else's happiness, especially Emma's. She closed her eyes trying to think about her own happy thoughts. She thought about Henry, when he was a beautiful baby and slept in her arms, when he took his first steps; when that same day he had embraced her lovingly before going to school.

The door of the vehicle opened and Emma got in, starting the engine immediately. After a couple of minutes of awkward silence the blonde spoke. "So… what?"

"So what, Miss Swan."

"Miss Swan? All right, what did I do?"

"Emma…" Regina said rolling her eyes.

"Killian isn't here anymore, you can relax now." Emma snorted.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Regina asked arching an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm not an idiot. I know you're not the happiest person when he's around."

"That is so not true!" Regina snapped.

"It's all right. I understand. A former pirate and Queen aren't exactly a match made in heaven." Emma said matter of factly.

Regina looked at Emma trying to make a point, and then she simply added "Former Queen."

"Nah. Queen. I'm sure I have that one right." The blonde answered sheepishly. And just like that Regina felt the little tension in her stomach became lighter.

Hours later in The Rabbit Hole, the meeting for Ruby and Dorothy was at its peak. Belle and Snow were talking with laughter, happy to have a baby-free time. Emma, was drinking a cold beer while Regina had opted for her classic Martini. Both chatted with Ruby, Dorothy and Zelena about Henry and his relationship with Violet.

"They've become so formal it's scary!" Emma said. "I mean, he takes her home EVERY DAY. And have dinner at home every Friday, either at my place or Regina's. With candles and home-made food."

"He is in love!" Regina smiled "And he is a Charming, what were you expecting."

"I'm a Charming and I weirdly get home-made food. I actually only eat that when I have dinner at your house." Emma said, noticing the knowing look that Dorothy and Ruby were addressing to each other. Emma rolled her eyes and added "Geez, Gina, I never thought you'd be so calm and cool about Henry's love life."

"I just think we all should enjoy the good things in life while we have them. Life has taught me that." Regina said with sudden watery eyes, then she turned her look quickly away pretending she dropped something to the floor, and Emma, always to the rescue, raised her beer.

"To enjoying the good things in life!" The blonde exclaimed, followed by the pounding of others' glasses. Regina reassembled immediately and joined her glass to the toast, giving her friend an expressive look.

"So, Emma. How's the married life?" Ruby asked curious.

"Pretty much okay. It's quiet, it's… it's peaceful. Killian is a great companion. That's for sure." Emma said with a measured smile.

Ruby smiled with raised eyebrows. "Sounds cool."

Emma nodded a bit taken aback with the slightly sarcastic tone of the answer.

Zelena pursed her lips trying to suppress a smile and chose to divert the conversation. "Well, I cannot shut up anymore. I want to take this moment to give personal news. The following week I start a new job as the personal assistant of the Mayor!"

Regina sighed and rolled her eyes. "For which I must clarify that there is no nepotism involved. Zelena, in fact, proved to have excellent job skills. "

The other girls laughed lightly. Emma looked at Regina almost tenderly, seeing her worried about clarifying details that no one else would care to explain.

They spent a while chatting about trivial things that made them laugh out loud from time to time. At some point in the night Zelena and Ruby began to seem a little bit hammered, emitting small snorts between laughter as they animatedly asked for one more round of drinks. Emma had stopped drinking, realizing the night would most likely end in need of a designated driver. Anyway, she was now uneasy because she had noticed that Regina seemed distant, as if she tried too hard to seem interested in the conversations.

The night could have gone unremarkable if it wasn't for a little unexpected conversation that happened when Emma was comming back from the W.C. and someone took her by the hand and pulled her towards the other side of the bar. It was a very drunk Ruby. "Whoa. Hey, what's up, Rubes. You okay?"

"Oh, Emma. little, little Emma. Do you know I was supposed to be your godmother?" Ruby laughed, then continued before Emma said anything. "I have an honest question. A very honest question. How did you do it?"

"Uhm. How did I do what?" Emma said throwing a glance at her table, where everyone else were talking to each other.

I couldn't believe it when I knew that you really married Hook. I couldn't believe it. How could you? Is not right. No. It's not right. The whole thing with Regina was there!

Emma snorted and gave a little smile. "You're drunk Ruby, come on, let's go."

"No! No, no, no, girl, I'm not stupid, I smell these things. It was very obvious, even for your mother, we talked about it like a million years ago."

Emma frowned and sighed, without knowing exactly what to do with that information at that moment. _'They talked about it?, they actually spent a time talking about it?'_ Had it been like her mother being worried about thinking she had feelings for Regina? "Look, Rubes. Let's not talk about this now. I mean, It doesn't make any sense. I'm happily married, remember?"

"Peacefully married…" Ruby laughed.

"Whatever. Come on."

They returned to the table and paid the bill almost immediatly. After that, Emma dropped each of the girls at their places, leaving Regina last but not least.

Emma gave her a look as she drove "You seem off."

"Do I?" Regina answered looking out of the window.

Emma remained silent for a moment, she was never entirely sure about when she was going too far with the former queen. It was as if sometimes she felt their good relationship hung on an invisible and fragile thread that she was terrified to break. Then on other occasions, Regina seemed so affable and relaxed that Emma could actually say any nonsense without repercussions. This moment, however, was the first type.

She finally parked outside the mayor's mansion. "You know you can talk to me, right?" Emma said.

Regina looked at the blonde and her eyes turned watery. "Emma. I can't stay here anymore. Sometimes I feel this isn't good for me." She looked down and after a brief pause she continued "I'm thinking I should go back to the Enchanted Forest."

And there, just at that moment, Emma felt as if her guts, blood and heart were going into a deep dark hole.


	2. Chapter 2: How high the Moon

**CHAPTER TWO**

**HOW HIGH THE MOON**

Emma came home that night, with that well-known sensation.

_'God. Here we go again.'_ She thought as she searched in the kitchen shelves for some of Hook's Rum._ 'He took everything, obviously he took everything.'_ Miserable, she sat down on her sofa and dropped her head on the backrest to look at the ceiling.

For Emma, this feeling of distress was nothing new, she certainly felt a little surprised because for a few months she had managed to stay emotionally stable, focused on the novelty of the married life. However, these episodes had been present in her life from the first moment she had set her eyes on the Mayor of Storybrooke, and a powerful infatuation seized her.

The thing went beyond anything rational. Her fascination with the former Queen had come and gone as many times as the moon in the year, and as Regina became more comfortable in her role as the heroine of the story, Emma had less and less reasons to be disappointed by the very attractive woman.

If Emma was honest with herself, (and she always was when it came to those moments of hopelessness) she knew that the day she met Regina Mills, she had been about to ask her out, just like that, without even thinking too much about it and simply following the impetuous instinct before the magnetism she felt towards her. However, that day, so long ago now, Emma was left with the words in her mouth when the Mayor, taking the lead, snapped _"Don't mistake all this as an invitation back into his life. Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade, while you've been… Well, who knows what you've been doing. I've changed every diaper. Soothed every fever. Endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is my son."_

_And of course Emma came with the realization of how stupid her intentions had been, like if suddenly she had woken up from a nice dream. "I was not…" _

_"__No. You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything…"_

And so Emma didn't. She didn't say a word and she just left the place feeling completely stupid for even thinking about it. But then the Mayor went knocking on her door and saying things like_ "Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers."_ And Emma had thought about it for hours, trying to understand if there was some flirtatious invitation to something, probably not even in the words, but in her eyes. Or then in the mines, when the former Queen took a step ahead and Emma even thought she was going to kiss her, only to realize of course that was not going to happen. Then the incident with Graham came, and Emma knew right there what jealousy really was. And from there things just took a hectic path, with Regina trying to incriminate Mary Margaret, the curse breaking and a load of events that were always dragging Emma in a twirl of thoughts and emotions towards the other woman. However the attraction was always there, and that silly major crush that even now keept going on and off from time to time.

There had been many moments in which Emma got to think Regina was also attracted to her. Little moments with a different spark on her friend's eyes, though they were always surrounded by the blonde's insecurities, and as Hook and Robin Hood came to town, the actual idea of that thing going somewere just erased from Emmas head, knowing she would just have to endure those highlight moments in which she just adored the Queen and was willing to the small things like going into mortal peril to keep her safe.

Emma thought about Ruby's question. '_How could you married Hook?'_

_'And what was I supposed to do! He was my boyfriend'_ She thought. And of course she loved him. Killian Jones had win a place in her heart, he was a good man now too, and he was one of her closest friends. It was all right, and it was better to take a chance for happiness than just keep wondering about fantasies. Plus, what would have happened if Regina found someone else too, other than Robin. She wouldn't hesitate to get married one day, and Emma would probably hate that, or even her, because God, sometimes she hated the woman with all of her heart.

But right now she only hated herself for the stupid answer she gave when Regina told her she wanted to leave to the Enchanted Forest.

_"__Well, is not like we have beans or some way to open the portal." Emma said clumsly._

_"__No. But we've been finding one way or another to cross realms now. That's not the point." Regina said a little bit offended with the blonde's answer, especially when she had been thinking for hours how to speak out loud her thoughts. She had thought Emma would be upset, or even crying, or god knows what she thought about. _

_"__Well then we'll see about it later. What's going on? How come you came to this?" Emma said trying to sound casual . _

_"__I don't want to talk about it…" _

_"__Regina. Everything will be all right. There's still a happy ending waiting for you." Emma said and Regina just pursed her lips with doubt. _

_"__I'm not waiting for it anymore. I'm all right, Emma. I just need a change of scenary."_

_"__Well, we'll see about it then." Emma said looking at her hands still holding the wheel. _

_"__I just thought, maybe if Captain Hook's expedition has any luck and find Mákara, there's a chance of finding some eggs, so there's a way to open portals like that."_

_"__That beast's eggs?" Emma said frowning. _

_"__That's the whole point of the expedition, weren't you paying attention?" Regina scolded. _

_"__Whatever, I don't think this Mákara thing is here anyway, but sure, we'll see." Emma answered trying not to sound upset. _

So _'We'll see'_. That had been pretty much her answer. She was an idiot.

She got up from the sofa and turned off the lights, ready to go to her room and enjoy the space on the bed. One of the most difficult things for her, in the whole adaptation process since she started living with Hook, was precisely sleeping with someone else in bed. "There is no damn Mákara anyway." The blonde babbled rolling her eyes. "Stupid thing."

Emma arrived at the station the next day. Giving the fact that her assistant was in the ocean, she would have to, at least, spend some time in the police station all the following days. She was preparing her coffee when she heard a call on the radio. "Jolly Roger to base… Jolly Roger to base."

Emma hurried to the desk to take the radio: "Base on, go ahead."

"Sheriff, we have no phone reception here, so we'll have to use the radio. We're having a good time surrounding the marked area but we haven't had sightings of the target yet. Over." Hook said keeping the professional tone, knowing there could be other people at the station.

Emma smiled relieved. "Good. Keep me informed. Be safe, Killian. Over."

Once he heard her last words so informally said, he replied "Love you. Clear."

"Me too. clear."

The station door opened and Ruby came in with an expression that showed the consequences of last night's party. Emma leaned back in her chair and raised her feet to the desk in a casual way. "I've never been happier of knowing when to stop drinking…"

"Oh, shut up." Ruby said dropping herself in one of the chairs.

"What are you doing here?" Said Emma sitting straight.

"Dorothy insisted that I should come here to offer you some help with the station since your deputy is out of town." Ruby shrugged. "What's the deal, by the way with your father and the being-a-shepherd-thing again! Snow told me."

Emma laughed "I can't really blame him. I guess we all need some peace." Indeed that had been quite an occurrence that her mother wasn't loving at all. "And about the help, sounds good to me. Actually you could help me with Pongo's training! You know, with the wolf thing on you, you probably have it easy there?" Emma thought about it better "Probably? Am I being rude?"

Ruby laughed. "Not at all! Yes I can help you." She looked at Emma with an embarrassed expression and sighed. "I think I was the one being rude last night. I'm sorry."

"Hey, no. It's okay. Don't worry." Emma answered trying not to blush on the subject. One thing was to deal with that stuff while the wolf was drunk, but talking about it with no alcohol in the middle was very different. However, the reddened cheeks of the blonde did not wait.

"No. I mean, isn't right… Oh my god, I'm making you super uncomfortable right now." Said Ruby is trying to suppress a smile. "Emma, calm down, it's me, is not like I'm going to judge you."

Emma stared at her friend. She had spent so much time keeping everything to herself. She remembered when she found out about Ruby and Dorothy, after Henry had spread out the pages of the book where she could see them kissing, and how she felt a squeeze in her heart of repressed longing that tried to cling to any kind of hope. Her first thought had been precisely that she could talk to the wolf about her infatuation with Regina, like if that could give her any kind of clue she was missing in order to understand all that. However, life interfered with Hades lurking Storybrooke and the blonde's wishes simply were not possible, because that's how it is when you were supposed to be the Savior. You're busy with stuff, with no time to untangle such silly things as your own emotions, being dragged by countless circumstances.

And now that was over. She was no longer the Savior. The final battle had been fought. Now she could have actually explored other options.

"Emma? Are you okay?" Ruby asked when she saw Emma with a lost stare and a sudden realization.

"Yes, sorry." Emma answered without being able to fully recover from her thoughts. "Actually, yesterday you said something about my mother. What did she tell you?"

Ruby snorted feeling almost guilty to see Emma in such a state of confusion. "Oh, is nothing important, I mean, it was so long ago I don't even remember well."

"No. Tell me. It's okay, we're adults, is not a big deal." Emma said trying to sound casual.

"Well, remember that time we all thought Regina had killed Archie?" Ruby said trying to make it sound like a small thing.

"Sure."

"About that time, your mother told me something about the way you were looking at Regina in the interrogation room, and how sure you were of her innocence. And well, you can't blame her, even after we all knew she didn't kill him, she still wasn't the nicest one in town." Ruby shrugged.

"I just knew she wasn't lying."

"Well, yes. But Snow told me that when she was still Mary Margaret, she got some weird vibe each time you came from meeting the Mayor. And that it was like if you couldn't stop talking about her, even if it was the bad things. You know, like when you try to convince yourself you hate someone." Ruby looked at Emma and smiled sweetly. "So she was like, one plus one, and got two."

Emma stared at Ruby. "And, what about you? What do you think other than what mom told you."

Ruby leaned back in her chair and sighed without stop looking at the blonde. "I don't blame you, Emma. I mean, Regina is a very attractive woman. And well, sometimes it just happens, you know, it's a chemical thing."

Finally, Emma got up and went to the coffee pot to pour herself some of the black liquid. "I've been waiting for so long for this to just fade away."

Ruby opened her eyes widely and went back to normal before Emma turned back to her. She could not believe the blonde was finally opening up to her.

"But then I can't help it, you know. I mean, is not like I'm dying of love for her. I'm fine. I have it under control and it's not a big deal. There are just moments when everything is confusing because I had never felt this kind of attraction. I don't mean the fact that she's a woman. But the way she gets into my head."

"Do you know why this hasn't stopped in so long?" Ruby said with simplicity.

"Why?" Emma said hopping she would finally get a clue.

"Because you see something in her wanting you to feel it too."

Emma wanted to snap back and say that wasn't true, but that was exactly her feeling at times,_ 'or at least the thing I want to believe'_. She thought.

"Oh my god, I should have returned before." Ruby said "Now you're married!"

"Hey, no, I didn't mean it like that. I mean. There's something there but it doesn't mean it has to be something else. I'm fine. Regina and I are friends, and we're close, and… Things are just the way they have to be." Emma explained trying to look for the best words.

"Good morning…" Regina's velvety voice was heard entering the station. Emma blushed immediately and the former Queen hesitated. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all." Ruby said calmly. "I was just telling Emma about Dorothy. You know… Stuff." She added with a dirty smile.

"Oh! Well." Regina suppressed a smile. "I just thought our sheriff could need some company. And also I have breakfast," she said showing a paper bag in her hand "if I had known that Miss Lucas was here, I would have…"

"No problem!" Ruby hurried. "I'm actually here to help as the deputy's substitute, so…" The wolf got up and reached for one of the badges on Emma's desk. "I'll do some rounds."

The wolf left the station but not without winking to the blonde.

"I can only imagine the things you both were talking about…" Regina said with a smirk once Ruby had left.

"She. She was talking about it. You know me, I'm not much of a sharer." Emma hurriedly said.

"That can always change." Regina said placing the breakfast bag on the desk.

"You seem in a better mood today. I'm glad." Emma smiled while the other woman went around the desk on Emma's side, to leave her jacket on the rack. The blonde took a breath almost instinctively and his lungs filled with Regina's scent. That scent that completely wrapped her and to which she blamed almost totally for her inevitable attraction. It was like fresh and sweet apples, sugary with a bit tone of sourness. _'Goddamnit'_ She thought.

"I actually thought about what you said last night and you were right. There's no reason for me to live in despair. It is more proactive if I work on my goals." Regina said trying to show a little bit more composure than the day before.

"Yes! Regina, I'm sure there's something waiting for you here." Emma nodded with hope.

"I didn't mean those goals, I mean finding ways to open a portal, either if your husband succeeds or not." Regina said with a restrained tone of disdain.

"Stop with that! You are the Mayor of this town for God's sake!" Emma snapped.

"That's only a job, Emma. You're wrong if you think that would stop me." Regina retorted with the fire of a challenging look in her eyes. "You'd need something better."

Emma vacillated with a double heartbeat, then snorted and shaked her head taking the breakfast bag to grab one of the baguettes.

The sound of the radio came again on the station. "Jolly Roger to base! Jolly Roger to base!"

Emma reacted immediately and took the radio. "Base here, go ahead."

"We have a sighting! We do, Emma! Mákara is here!"


	3. Chapter 3: Solid as a Rock

**CHAPTER 3 **

**SOLID AS A ROCK**

Regina got up and walked to the radio, as if she didn't want to miss a single word. Emma looked at her and felt the inevitable tension in her jaw. "Are you sure?, over."

"Of course I'm sure. You don't always see a beast like that one!, over." Hook sounded completely excited.

"And now what?" Emma said, now with a big knot forming in the back of her neck. There was silence on the other side of the radio. Emma looked at Regina.

"You forgot to say 'over'." Regina gently said.

Emma rolled her eyes. "And now what?, over."

"I don't know. She saw us and got away of course. But now we have a clue of where her nest is. We'll keep working on it. Over."

"Good. Thanks for the heads up. Over."

"Later, Sheriff. Clear."

"See. It won't even be that hard." Regina said with a smug.

Emma nodded and bit her inner cheek. "Let's don't skip ahead okay? We can have many outcomes for this."

Regina nodded biting her baguette. She had of course noted the distress in Emma. As for herself, she wasn't so naïve. She had lived this life long enough to guess Emma had some kind of fascination for her. She was a witch after all, and she certainly understood matters of energy irradiated by people, and away from that, she was also a woman.

By this moment, Regina was only sure that Emma felt somehow dazed by her, but as far as assuming Emma had a crush on her, would have been presumptuous, especially now that her friend was, in fact, married. Yes. Regina didn't understand just how much effect she had on the blonde, no matter how many times she had step on a thread of dead for her._ 'She is a Charming, after all._' She had thought to herself many times._ 'They do these things; they love their friends in such a selfless way.'_

"So…" Regina tried to ease the moment. "How's paradise between Miss Lucas and her woman?"

Emma coughed surprised by the question. "Uhm. They're getting along pretty well." She saw the smirk in the Mayor lips and suddenly she felt annoyed by the confidence of that woman. Whether it was the recent conversation with Ruby or because this was one of those moments when she wanted to despise that woman who wanted to go away from her, Emma felt brave, courageous enough to put her out of place. "This whole Ruby thing got me thinking. Did you ever have a thing for a woman?"

Regina arched an eyebrow and sat back on her chair. "That's kind of a very personal question, Emma."

"Well, we've been friends for a while now. I thought we were up to personal questions." Emma said casually with an innocent look.

"That's fair." Regina looked at her and she measured the challenge. After a moment she smirked and shake her head. "You know what. The workspace is hardly the place to talk about these things. How about we leave the subject for later. It's Saturday, there's family dinner today at my place. Remember?"

"I do remember. As you wish, Madam Mayor." Emma said trying to sound confident enough.

"It's a date then." Regina said smiling affectively.

And, there it was._ 'It's a date'._ The little detail Emma would think about for hours._ 'Goddamn, she's doing it again. A date? What did she mean? Why couldn't she just answer my question? I was supposed to have the control on this one. Damn you, Regina.'_

After being at the station, Emma went to her parent's house to have lunch, as it was one of Snow White's favorite rituals. Ruby and Dorothy were also there.

The wolf gave Emma a meaningful look and they both smiled. Emma shook her head and took her little brother in her arms. "How are you, buddy." She said while kissing his cheeks.

"We heard the news, honey." Snow said setting up the table. When Emma looked at her with a lost expression she added "Captain Jones, finding the Mákara."

"How on Earth do you know about that already?" Emma said frowning. She felt secretly annoyed by the fact her parent's didn't call him Hook anymore since the wedding, as if they were trying to forget he was ever a pirate.

"Henry told us. He spoke with him on his radio." Snow said with simplicity.

"Well, mom, it's supposed to be a matter of discretion." Emma said.

"Honey, it's us. We are part of the counsel. And Ruby and Dorothy, we're family. "Said Snow. Emma rolled her eyes while playing with Neil. Her mother was indeed the best when it came to spill the beans.

"We can't be prouder of Killian. This is such an achievement." David said joining them at the table.

"Yes. He sounded pretty happy. How are the sheep going, dad?"

"Glorious." David answered sweetly.

His wife rolled her eyes and then took the subject back "With Mákara eggs or not, I don't think Regina should go back to the Enchanted forest." Snow said worriedly. Emma felt infuriated now. Ruby looked at her with apprehension, and the teacher excused herself "Henry told me too. He said this morning Regina told him it was an option. He thought it was such a sudden idea. I think Regina hasn't get over Robin's death. I feel so sorry for her." Snow was indeed sorry, she just had to speak her thoughts out loud.

Dorothy gave Emma a saddened look._ 'Great, no one in this town can keep any secret'_ Emma thought. Ruby shrugged in a quick apology. "Geez, mom. Can we just talk about something else?"

Snow looked at Emma, noticing her tense appearance. She shook her head subtly and exhaled dejectedly.

"Actually we want to share something with you all…" Ruby said smiling and grabbing her girlfriend hand. "Dorothy and I, we're getting married."

Finally Emma felt like really smiling about something, and she quickly joined her mother in a big hug with the couple of girls.

They ate and celebrated the news. After a while, Emma went out to the porch. The new property of the Charming was quite enjoyable; it was nice to hang out there.

"We couldn't finish our conversation this morning." Ruby said joining her and sitting on the stairs next to her.

"Wanna call Dorothy to join us?" Emma said with a snort.

"I didn't tell her what we talked about. Everything she knows is from before our conversation, you know? Just my assumptions." Ruby guaranteed and Emma felt immediately more reassured. "Is it true, then? Regina wants to leave?"

Emma looked ahead and nodded. "That's what she says…"

Ruby sighed. They both spent a moment in silence until Ruby said. "If she goes, I think she should know first what you have to say."

"What do I have to say, Rubes? I already picked Hook."

"Did you?"

"I don't know. I guess."

"You know this thing won't go away even if she does, right?" Ruby said with a sad face. "Emma, you're almost my…"

"Goddaughter?" Emma gave a short laugh.

"Yes. And one of my best friends." Ruby said with a serious look "I wouldn't meddle in all of this if I was convinced you're really happy right now."

"I have been used for so long to be half-happy, I could easily do it for the rest of my life." Emma said bitterly.

"That's because you actually don't believe you could be completely happy. There is fullness too, Emma, but it is only for those who reach for it."

"Geez, Rubes, when did you become so wise." Emma mocked her to lighten the moment.

Ruby stood up and pushed Emma with the side of her leg in a loving way "Save yourself, Savior."

And, that had definitely reached the soft spot.

That night, Emma arrived to the Mayor's mansion prepared to keep her head up and not back down if one of those moments with mixed signals occurred. In a last moment of bravery, she had bought a bottle of white wine, after Regina sent her a message notifying her that the dinner would consist on lemmon butter fish. _'White wine. What am I doing?'_

Regina opened the door when she heard the doorbell and the blonde's thoughts just fade away. "Make yourself at home, Emma." She said hurrying back to the kitchen.

Again that scent and Emma followed her. "I brought this." She said placing the bottle on the kitchen countertop.

"Well, look at that." Regina approved, looking behind her back while still cooking. She gave a quick twist to her wrist and magically the bottle opened. "Let's get on it."

Emma smiled and swallowed. She hurriedly took a couple of glasses from the cup shelf. After some family dinners, she knew well the location of many things in the kitchen. The blonde felt so filled with energy she didn't want to risk doing magic. She stared at Regina who was still next to the stove, cooking some vegetables and checking the interior of the oven from time to time. Sometimes she felt hypnotized by the grace and elegance that the former Queen had to do absolutely everything.

"Is Henry home already?" The blonde said trying to break the spell of the Mayor's perfect kitchen rhythm.

"No. He and Violet will get here after the movies." Regina tried not to smile.

"Oh, is Violet coming too?" Emma said. She then handed Regina a glass of wine.

The Mayor took the glass and laughed lightly. "Give it a rest, Emma. I never thought it would be you the one being this jealous over our son's girlfriends. "

Emma just loved how it sounded every time one of them said_ 'our son'_. It was almost intimate; a phrase that would leave everyone out. Henry was theirs. Call it destiny or whatever, he was theirs. Regina's and hers.

"Only because you say so." Emma conceded with affection.

"Cheers ..." Regina said with pleased eyes. Emma clicked her glass on Regina's, staring at her; somehow expressing that she was also playing the sparkling-eyes-game too. Because sometimes it was just like that, and Emma hated that as much as she loved it.

They talked for a while about the eventualities of the day such as the new vegetarian menu at Granny's dinner, and laughed again at David's new-old shepherd phase. Emma refilled the glasses.

"Already?" Regina said surprised. "Anyone would think you want to get me drunk, Miss Swan."

Emma laughed "At this point I don't even care you Miss-Swan-me."

"You don't, do you?" Regina took her glass again, and took a seat on one of the stalls near the countertop and right next to Emma. "Well, cheers again then."

Emma hit her glass one more time. "I remember we have a pending conversation, Madam Mayor." Emma felt anxious, but she had made an agreement with herself. Do not retreat.

Regina quietly laughed and nodded. She took a bit moment before saying with assurance: "Maleficent." Emma looked confused and then suddenly opened her eyes widely when she understood what she was talking about "We had a brief thing. Hardly something, but I guess that answers your question."

Emma was speechless "Whoa! I didn't see that coming!"

"Liar! Of course you did!" Regina shocked her head and laughed. Sometimes she couldn't still believe she have got to this point of affection and confidence with the blonde. Emma was astonished with surprise and the Mayor couldn't avoid thinking she was adorable sometimes.

"I'm quite shocked, Regina. Believe me."

"What about you? "Regina said suddenly quiet.

Emma stared at her friend and snorted as if she couldn't stop the laughter anymore. "Lily."

"Maleficent's daughter." Regina smiled when the blonde nodded. "Aren't we made for each other?" she murmured with simplicity and almost looked nostalgic. "Though I won't lie, I have guessed that one already."

Emma rolled her eyes.

A meaningful silence fell upon them for a brief moment, in which both women took a long sip of their drink.

Then, as in counting to three, Emma suddenly spat, "Regina. I've been meaning to ask you something for a very long time…"

Regina looked at her expectantly. She looked almost hopeful.

"Moms?! We're home!" Henry's deep voice called from the foyer.

"Keep that question for later." The former Queen said with her eyes fixed on the blonde.

It was as if a spell had been broken._ 'What the hell am I doing? I'm married.'_ Emma had been about to ask her, what would have happened if she had invited her out at some point, and that would have been so out of place.

"Hey guys." Emma said.

"Ma, mom. Smells so good. "Henry hugged his mothers and took one of the vegetables from the casserole.

Regina pushed him aside. "All of his childhood begging him to eat those and now look at him!"

Emma laughed taking a moment to register that scene. It was exactly this. The family she had always longed for, and she knew that. _'But I do have it. Could it be better than this?'_

Henry and Violet took some of the tableware and hurried to set up the table.

Emma imagined having the opportunity at that moment to hug Regina and kiss her cheek, or even better, her lips, before helping her take the dinner to the dining room.

_'__What's going on with me. I was fine already.' _

"Here. Help me with this." Regina said, handing her the casserole with vegetables.

"Sure."

The blonde brought the vegetables to the table with Regina behind her, carrying the fish.

"I'm going to the toilet." Emma murmured. And so she did and closed the door breathing deeply. That wine was stronger than she had assumed. She thought of her husband and his gentle eyes, and felt guilty knowing he wouldn't have a chance if Regina ever showed some sign of wanting to be with her.

_'Because you see something in her wanting you to feel it too.' _She remembered Ruby's words.

_'But of course everyone loves feeling wanted. That doesn't mean anything.'_

She returned to the table trying to lighten her mind. She had the control and there was no reason to lose it. They all chatted for a while and Violet even sang a little when Henry asked her to show his mothers her talent. Emma was, in fact, surprised and Regina looked at the blonde pleased. Then Violet took an unexpected turn when Henry encouraged her by saying, "Come on, tell her."

"There is this guy. He was a knight back in Avalon. Sir Tristan. He asked me to give you this." Violet said handing Regina an envelope.

Regina looked at Henry curiously and he only shrugged. "I don't know anything about it!"

The former Queen took the envelope smiling while shaking her head. "I'll see it later. Thanks, Violet. "

Emma looked at Regina and noticed the slight reddening of her cheeks .The rest of dinner she didn't talk much anymore.

The white wine was over when Henry announced he should take his girlfriend home and Emma handed him the keys to the yellow bug.

The couple of women picked up the table in silence.

"I actually think she's a nice girl." The brunette said when they were leaving the plates on the sink.

Emma nodded. "I guess." And without being able to hold back the curiosity that ate her, she said: "So…What's with the letter? Who is this guy?"

Regina shrugged. She took the envelope and opened it, taking out a classic parchment. Then she held it next to the blonde so she could read it too.

_"My lady, I may be bold but I could not ignore anymore the enchantment I feel when I look at you. Let me express to you my sincere admiration, and please know there is a loyal servant in this man who hopes at some point to enjoy the delight of talking with you._

_Sir Tristan, Knight of the round table. "_

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes next to a blushed Regina, who was trying to suppress a smile. There was no doubt, they both came from very different worlds.

"Seriously, who is this guy?" Emma said trying to sound casual. It was aggravating.

"He works at the stables, I think…" Regina said shaking her head with a flattered smile.

"Oh, so you know him?"

"Of course I know him. I'm the Mayor. After all the curses I've been trying to keep the record on who's still around." Regina said feeling the urge of excusing herself.

"So? Do you like him?" Emma said trying not to sound cold.

"He's a stranger, Miss Swan." Regina said frowning.

Emma nodded and scratched her head.

Regina got closer and touched her arm. "Emma, what's going on?"

Emma closed her eyes. "Is nothing. I think I had enough wine. I better go home."

"Henry has your car." Regina said with ease.

"I can walk." Emma stared at Regina and shrugged placing her hands on her pockets. "Thanks for dinner. Good night, Regina." She squeezed her lips and then just walked away.

Regina looked absorbedly as the door closed. If at that precise moment she could have left Storybrooke, she would have done it.


	4. Chapter 4: Midnight Sun

_This chapter is a little shorter because I've been dealing with some work stuff, but anyway I didn't want to leave so much without publishing. I'll get the next one soon enough. _

_Thanks for your coments Sammii16!_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**MIDNIGHT SUN**

Regina sat on the sofa, in the dim light, thinking, as so many times, in those moments in which the blonde had looked at her as if she was the most important thing that existed in her life; like in precisely Avalon, where Emma had risked losing herself in the very darkness, giving in to her plea to heal Robin.

She remembered the moment she knew the blonde had decided to stay in Storybrooke._ 'All right, so you want to stay, I can play that game…' _ She had thought. _'And I'll get rid of you later…'_ She relished in the idea as a cat does while having fun with a prey. From that Evil Queen's mind, in which she still allowed herself so many dark thoughts, Regina had found Henry's mother quite desirable. Of course, she supposed all the excitement she felt when she was close to the blonde was due to the lack of practice of having someone new in town.

Then the curse broke, and Regina had been in fact confused when Emma's touch reactivated her magic, because she understood magic, and that was unusual, even under the premise that Emma also had powers. By the time they were all in Neverland, the former Queen had even found herself looking for some of the blonde's approval. This after she understood the blonde felt even more related to her than she did to her own mother, Snow White._ 'Well isn't this an irony?'_ She had also realized that among all those people, Emma could actually understand her better than anyone else, because Emma herself had already gone through her own journey of redemption, abandonment and loneliness. Then again the situation was never easy. It was one thing after another.

When they came back from Neverland, Emma had left after the next curse was casted, and the chance to explore the meaning of that weird symbiosis between hers and the blonde's magic, had vanished just like her. She started a thing with Robin, and she had loved him. She loved Roland too, and loved the fact of not being alone anymore; the idea of having a happy ending. As for the fact of she believing Robin was her true love, she always doubted it. She knew what true love was, she had felt it with Daniel, and whatever she had with Robin, was far from true love. _ 'True love must be a once in a lifetime thing.'_ She was sure of it.

The fact that Emma had found her true love in Hook? She had seriously doubts too. No matter how pretty their vows sounded the day of their wedding, there was no way 'destiny' had that pirate written for her. _ 'Or is there? Does Emma really loves him that much?' _She wondered. Among all these things that she sometimes found herself thinking about in the solitude of her mansion, the thought that terrified her the most, was knowing that from all the people around her, she could be happy as long as Emma and Henry stayed.

Ironically, that was the reason of why now she was thinking so constantly about leaving. When she had listened to Hook with the clear intentions of starting a new family with Emma, the first thought that had crossed her mind was _'Not if I finish with you, once and for all, you miserable pirate'._

And of course she wouldn't go back to the Evil Queen mode.

She took the little envelope that Violet gave her. She definitely needed a distraction.

The next day, Emma felt terribly guilty about her attitude at Regina's house. She didn't even say goodbye in the right way.

She was about to send her a message apologizing, but she thought that would only lead her to having to make up excuses. Emma spent some time in bed, while the morning sun slipped through the white curtains and caressed her body. Suddenly the idea of Regina and Maleficent together came to her mind. _'Geez, how could that have been... Other than dangerous, of course.'_ She thought as flashes of the two women kissing crossed quickly through her mind. For a while she remained there imagining who had been the one who started everything, what exactly had happened, and her body gradually filled with a subtle anxiety. Then, the thought quickly jumped to Regina kissing her, right there, in the same kitchen they had been last night. Emma closed her eyes and started caressing her own belly. "God, those lips…" She murmured. She was about to slip her hand under her panties when the radio on her nightstand issued a beep.

"Hook to swan… Hook to Swan."

Startled, she reached for it "Go ahead" Emma said after a sigh.

"I'm just reporting. How's everything? Can you believe I miss you already? Over." Hook's voice was calmed.

Emma smiled guilty. "I miss you too, what happened? How's everything going? Over."

"We haven't got to the neast. We're going slow we don't want to scare her, she's like a mermaid and can travel between realms. Over."

"Is it dangerous? Over." Emma said now actually interested in a beast she thought out of reach.

"No. It's not supposed to be dangerous. Don't worry, luv." Hook said "I'll keep you informed. Talk to you later, Swan. Clear."

Henry arrived at noon and they spent the afternoon playing video games. Emma was so reluctant to leave the house that she even called Granny's to order some food.

"How's your mom, kid?" Emma said casually while playing.

"Want to invite her over?" Henry said totally focused on the game. "No, no, no, damn!"

"No I was just wondering how is she today?"

"She's good. We actually started Operation Penguin today." Henry said. "Ma! Focus! We're gonna lose!"

"Sorry." Emma said paying attention to her controller. "So… What's that operation about?"

"Violet and I are gonna set her up with Sir Tristan. Probably a double date."

"And your mom knows about it?" Emma said with a smug, believing the Queen would be taken aback.

"It was her idea." Henry said and Emma felt a ping in the stomach. "But she doesn't want Violet to know it was her idea. So I told Violet the operation is between me and her."

"Okay. Well, that's great." Emma said trying to cool off.

Emma spent the next couple of days at the station. Pongo's training was going much better with the help of Ruby, and with Emma's new project of updating the database, she had achieved just what she expected. To distract herself enough from thinking about Regina.

Hook had told her, they had accomplished an approach with Mákara, and that he was thinking to actually reach the nest by Friday. 'I'm making friends with Mákara' he had proudly said. And Emma thought Hook was now like one of those zoologist she used to watch on tv documentaries when she was a little girl.

The next day Emma was doing night rounds with the police cruiser. She had been worried about the fact they actually needed a better car for those matters. She was passing by the park when the old vehicle decided to die exactly there.

"Shit!" She got down and quickly opened the hood. She took the lamp and pointed to the engines when she suddenly heard a known laugh coming from the other side of the bushes.

It was Regina, right there at the fountain in the square, talking with a tall, well looking man. That had to be Sir Tristan. Emma tried to peek and recognized the man. She had indeed seen him at some of the town meetings. Whatever kind of jealousy she got to feel with Robin, was nothing compared to what she was feeling right now. The man had a perfectly well trimmed black hair, and irradiated such an elegance in every move, Emma thought it was like a male version of her Queen. Regina laughed once again and Emma was sure that, if there had been more light there, she would have seen her blushing.

Sir Tristan offered his arm in an old mannered way and Regina placed her hand on it, delicately, as they walked to the street. Emma went back to checking the car, she stood there with a lost stare to the engine not really thinking about trying to fix anything.

"Emma?" And Regina stood right there next to Sir Tristan.

"Regina, what are you…" Emma said trying to sound surprised. "…doing. Hey, good evening." She said looking at the man.

"Emma, this is Sir Tristan of Leonis" Regina said a little bit stiff.

"Nice to meet you." Emma said nodding

"Princess Emma," Sir Tristan said with a small reverence. "It's a real honor…"

"Oh, no. Well, thanks." The blonde answered awkwardly "Same here."

"What happened, Emma?" Regina said looking at the broken vehicle.

"Well this damn thing. I've been telling you we need a new one. You really have to consider it in the budget, Madam Mayor." Emma showed the engine. "Shit. This is a mess." Said without being sure what mess she was referring to.

"We'll see what to do about it." Regina said with firm expression. "Come with me, I'll drive you home."

"Oh no, no way, I don't want to ruin your date or whatever this is…"

"We were already leaving, Princess Emma." Sir Tristan said polite. "And we actually came separately".

"Well. Okay then." Emma said closing the hood. Regina and Sir Tristan took some steps away, near to the mayor's car, while Emma went to get her things from the cruise. She saw sir Tristan kissing the Queen's hand saying some honorable stuff she didn't hear.

"Have a safe way home, Princess!" The man said smiling.

"Sure thing, thanks!" Emma said walking towards Regina's car. The moment she closed the door Emma murmured. "So… you guys are dating now?"

Regina snorted "Well, we've just properly met today."

"And? What now?"

"I don't know, he is indeed a fine man." Regina said calmly.

"For God's sake Regina, you're perfect for each other." Emma said coldly.

Regina threw her a death glare. "Is he now? How can you so quickly assume that?"

"Well, he is so perfect, isn't he? Well mannered, impeccable."

"Do you really think I'm so predictable?" Regina said shaking her head. "Believe me, Emma, I've never been a squared woman."

They remained silent for a while. Emma was going crazy, all over again feeling such intense emotions toward the woman. It had been like this for so long she was growing so tired of it. _'Indeed she was with Robin, and that guy was anything but classy,' _the blonde thought._ 'I guess the same goes for the stable boy... and Maleficent... Geez' _ She was sick of this contention and so she broke the silence "Would you have been with me?" Emma said before being able to take it back.

"What?" Regina said taken aback.

"Nothing. Forget it." Emma looked away.

They were right outside Emma's house and Regina turned off the car. Emma was about to open the door when Regina softly grabbed her arm. "Emma, wait." The blonde turned around and looked at the former Queen. "Don't just turn away on me like this."

"I just don't know why I said that…" Emma stuttered, excusing herself and Regina sighed. "I mean. It's fine if you want to start something with this guy! He seems fine. Just..." Emma stared at Regina. "…Just don't leave."

Regina and Emma stared at each other like if no one dared to look away.

"This is unsustainable." Regina said shaking her head so softly it was barely moving.

Was it? Was it really? Emma had spent the past years trying to save everyone's happy ending. Even Hook's. And Ruby's words came again to her head: _'Save yourself, Savior.'_

"No. Is not" Emma said crashing her lips on Regina's.


	5. Chapter 5: The Heart Stood Still

_So... One of the things I love the most about writting, is how the story leads you , just like if its characters were alive; is like if somehow the story develops by itself, and you just have to pour the words down. _

_Let me know what do you think by reviewing. Believe me, that's always a push to keep on writing. _

_N. Thorny._

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**THE HEART STOOD STILL**

Regina closed her eyes in the surprise of the moment, letting her mind slowly register what was happening. Her lips responded the kiss softly as she was consumed by a hunger she hadn't felt for a long time.

Emma had begun a shy kiss that regained confidence when Regina, contrary to what she had thought, played her lips receptively. The blonde cupped her cheeks with her hands and then barely broke the kiss, remaining nose to nose. And within the next couple of breaths, in which Regina stayed motionless with her eyes closed, the Savior knew that the other woman wanted that kiss as much as she did, and a great relief filled with longing took hold of her, restarting the paused kiss with more urgency than before.

Their mind was blank, wrapped by the sensation of their lips and their breaths combined. Regina was the first one to use the tip of her tongue to caress Emma's lips, sending a chill down the blonde's body, who after the small gesture of permission,also dared to explore the mouth of the former Queen with her tongue.

Emma's hand tangled among brunette hair and Regina released a barely audible moan that nevertheless radiated heat between the blonde's legs. The Mayor's hand slid through blonde curls as well, and the only truth there was, that Emma had never disappeared from the world during a kiss, she had never been lost so deeply that her only thought was the reluctance to end those sensations.

Regina pulled back quietly, and dragging her hands to her own personal space, she leaned her head on the back of her seat, staring at the car roof with sudden watery eyes. "It's all right. Say it."

Emma shaked her head still stunned. "Say what?"

"That you're sorry, and this shouldn't have happened," Regina said daring to look at the blonde with the look of a woman familiar with happiness slipping through her fingers.

Emma sighed deeply affected. "Regina…" The other woman quickly twisted the car key to start the engine and Emma immediately followed her hand to turn the car off again. "The only thing I regret right now is not doing this before."

Regina stared at her as if she wanted to find a lie on her face.

The blonde huffed and sunk back in her seat. "I never thought, I mean, I never believed that you… "

"I do…" Regina said helping the other woman. "And I just can't understand when all this started."

"Yes!" Emma said fervently. "It's like it's been there from the beginning, but so deep I thought I just had to live with it for the rest of my life!"

Regina smiled sweetly and then looked away after losing her smile again. "And now it's in the open."

"I guess…" Emma frowned and added awkwardly "But… I mean, you… do you like me too? And stuff? You know, like, feelings?"

Regina snorted "You're unbelievable." She tried not to smile but the blonde's clumsiness was exactly something she found completely endearing.

"Well... Do you?"

"I don't go just kissing people around, Emma…"

Emma bashfully smiled. "Me neither…"

"I hope so. You're married." The brunette said looking at the other woman with an inquisitive look. Emma sighed clearly troubled so the Mayor added closing her eyes "Look, Emma. I get it. We can just forget this happened. I mean, clearly is not like I thought for a minute something would change."

"Is that what you want?" Emma threw a quick glance at Regina.

"I hardly get what I want…" Regina swallowed and tried to regain some composure.

Emma reached for the other woman's hand resting in her lap, it was a self-conscious move, but then the brunette looked down to their hands and tangled some of her fingers between the blonde's, so she started caressing the back of the Queen's hand.

Regina adjusted her hand and moved her thumb softly over one of Emma's fingers. The blonde thought it was crazy how easy a simple touch like that ignited something so powerful inside of her. She could have sworn she was feeling that small touch all over her body. "Maybe this is the stupidest thing you'll hear…" Emma said doubtfully, however feeling brave with sensations."But… What if I want _you_ in my happy ending."

Regina looked at her firmly "Are you brave enough?"

Emma felt a stab in her heart as she recognized the uncertainty in that lonely woman's eyes. She looked at her lips and threw herself at them to kiss her again with passion, just as if she wanted to prove herself bold enough. Regina had to know how willing she was to change her world for her. "I'm brave enough…" She mumbled between kisses, and she felt the brunette smiling against her lips.

Emma parted the kiss, holding the Mayor's face, and smiled back at her fondly. Regina's eyes were sparkling at the most.

"This is insane!" The Savior exclaimed with a small laugh. She then looked out the window and saw her house, looking back at Regina with uncertain eyes.

"How about we have a coffee at my place?" Regina said trying to guess what was going on inside the blonde's mind.

"Yeah. That sounds good." Emma said with a tiny smile, not sure of wanting to go into her and Hook's home at the moment. And like if they didn't want to let the moment go, both looked for each other's hand and hold it right after Regina started the car again.

Emma was completely nervous. She felt like a teenager filled with wondering and excitement. She kept watching their entangled hands every once in a while, and then of course, she was feeling extremely guilty for what this meant for her marriage. However selfish her thoughts could seem, she didn't doubt when she knew things with Hook were over, because there was simply no way she could take a step back on this. She would die for this woman, as she had proved so many times, it was pretty obvious by that point she would also divorce anyone just to be with her.

_'__I have to take things slow…'_ Emma thought nevertheless. Either Storybrooke, the Enchanted Forest, or Neverland, this was a matter of acting cautiously. She didn't want to hurt Hook and make a mess out of this. She looked at Regina again and both women smiled.

"I never imagined the day would end up like this, not even if any diviner had told me…" Regina sighed, and the blonde squeezed her hand.

They arrived at the Mayor's mansion and Emma was surprised to see how relaxed the other woman looked. She had always felt impressed by the brunette's confidence. "How'd you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" The former Queen threw a small grin at Emma, saying the same line she had said some years ago, except this time with soft eyes.

Emma chuckled. "Sure… "

The blonde's anxiety was growing as they both walked down the aisle towards the Mayor's studio."Is Henry home?"

"I'm not sure, he can be either studying in his room, or out with Violet." Regina said inviting the blonde to enter the room.

"Or with Violet in his room." Emma said concerned.

"Look at you! I'm finding really impressive the whole strict-mother-thing." The brunette said with a suggestive look that sent shivers down Emma's spine. She could have sworn the former Queen's eyes were darker than ever.

_'__Get yourself together, Emma.' _The blonde thought. But one thing was to see those suggestive eyes knowing you had to keep the composure, and another very different was to do it right after kissing those fantastic lips. She leaned on the desk and however she tried to stay cool. "Are you really not worried?" Emma said with narrowed eyes as the other woman served their drinks.

Regina walked towards Emma holding the glasses. She handed one to her friend, or whatever they were now, "No." then she smiled with a smug "There's a spell in his room, of course. Violet can't get in."

Emma nodded with a delighted smile. She was sure the brunette could see how much she liked her, not only now, but since the beginning. "Of course you did."

The former Queen got closer and left a quick kiss barely touching the blonde's lips. "Cheers." She mumbled.

Emma opened her eyes and bit her lip. Of course that woman knew how to drive her crazy. "Don't tease me, your Majesty."

Regina laughed entertained."I assume we'll behave."

Emma had a sip from her cider and reached for Regina's free hand.

"I guess that's the best to do right now." She said enjoying the other woman's touch.

"I know and I agree."

Emma placed Regina's hand over her own waist and lead her hand to the brunette's hair, placing a lock of hair behind her ear, then she softly caressed her face, like trying to memorize her features. "You really deserve better than this. I'm so sorry I'm going to make you go through all of this trouble. It shouldn't have been like that, you deserved a better start. And we probably could have had a better start... I'm sorry."

Regina swallowed feeling deeply touched. No one had ever said something so meaningful to her. She placed her glass on the desk and with no second thought she pressed herself to Emma and kissed her fiercely cupping the blonde's face with her hands.

Emma immediately let herself go into the kiss, also leaving her cider on the writing desk to embrace Regina's torso against her own. The former Queen started a tongue fight against the other woman, and Emma felt her body bursted into flames when her own hand, accidentally, lifted the Mayor's blouse and she made contact directly with her hot skin, gaining the most delicious moan she had ever heard.

Encouraged, the blonde slipped all of her hand beneath the fabrics, caressing the other woman's back until reaching the lace bra. Regina heavily breathed holding onto Emma's neck with her arms, to stay even closer. Emma's hands went up exploring Regina's sides until they reached the limits of her breasts and she caress them softly with her thumbs. The brunette contorted in the other woman's hands so aroused she even bucked her hips.

'_Damn' _Emma felt already soaked. She took a hold of Regina and flip them around, trapping the Mayor against the desk, who quickly made herself over the top, opening her legs to give the blonde a better acces. _'Oh my god! I'm gonna die right here…'_

Regina grabbed Emma by the waistband of her jeans as if she wanted to keep her still, and then slipped her hands under her shirt, directly to the cotton bra that covered the blonde's breast, feeling her hardened nipples; the Savior melted under her touch and lower her hands to the brunette's hips, reaching slowly for her butt while she broke the kiss to look at the other woman's eyes. Emma pulled the other woman's center closer until her own hips were grinding against her, sensually while she started kissing the former Queen's neck.

The Mayor took the hem of Emma's shirt pulling it up until she got it off of the sheriff. She would be lying if she said she wasn't completely intrigued by the blonde's torso. The brunette even bit her own lips when she saw the strong abs Emma had. Finally, after watching exactly what she had imagined, Regina caressed the other woman's body as she brought her closer to her mouth hungrily, to kiss her over the bra, and lick the naked skin in her breasts.

Emma wasn't even thinking anymore, watching Regina like that over, her boobs, with those black desirefull eyes, soaking her skin with her tongue in such a sexy way, it was better than any of her fantasies. That woman was a goddess.

Regina pulled the edge of Emma's bra with one of her thumbs, releasing one of the blonde's nipples and immediately covered it with her lips as the Savior moaned with pleasure; she was coming undone for sure in the former Queen hands.

Trying to get some control Emma started pulling the Mayor's skirt up. She needed to feel her right now. She couldn't wait any longer and had to know just how wet she was. Emma took the hair behind of her neck, and took a hold of it softly to bring her back and kiss her lips again, with one of her nipples still out of the bra, feeling the fabric of Regina's blouse.

Without further ado, Emma slid her hand between the thighs of the Mayor, and slipping one of her fingers among the woman's lace panties, she felt her wet folds dripping in desire.

Regina bit Emma's lip and moaned when she felt the blonde's pulling of her underwear. The former Queen reached Emma's waistband and trying to focus, unbuttoned them. After losing her panties she quickly jumped from the desk and pushing the blonde towards the closer sofa she undid her skirt, sending it to the floor. Emma fell to the couch completely mouth opened, still holding the Mayor's panties in her hand.

The brunette looked at Emma seductively; feeling completely empowered by the look in the other woman's eyes, and started unbuttoning her blouse as she straddled the sheriff. "Take off your bra…" She said with that velvety voice that drove Emma crazy. Emma did it automatically, totally focused in the perfectly waxed mound that was now over her lap.

"I should have taken off my jeans…" Emma said clumsily, before kissing Regina's breast, setting them free of the black lace bra. "God, you're hot as hell…"

Regina moaned, and with a snap of her fingers Emma's jeans disappeared along with her underwear. Emma stopped licking the brunette's nipple and cupped her cheeks with her hands as she brought her lips back to her mouth and she hungrily caressed the other woman lips with her tongue.

Emma caressed Regina's thighs, up and down, to then go up and caress her back, and Regina kissed the blonde like she had never kissed anyone, softly grinding her hips against the blonde's, with her hands on her shoulders like if she wanted better balance. Needless to say, the two of them were in heaven. The sheriff bit Regina's lip and without saying another word she reached the former Queen's center, soaking her fingers with Reginas juices, before softly rubbing her clit. "You're so wet…" Emma muttered. The Mayor moaned feeling her own hips moving against Emma's hand, looking intensely for release.

Emma broke the kiss when feeling urgent movements of the former Queen against her hand. She stared at her, holding her hips with one hand as she continued touching her soaked folds with the other. Regina closed her eyes and bit her lips with more pleasure than Emma had ever seen. The blonde smiled as the Mayor came undone between loud moans. She would never forget the glistening in her skin, sparkling like if it was fairy dust, dancing over her lap with her eyes closed. "God, Emma. Yes. Yes…

Regina climaxed and kissed Emma in such a loving way the blonde was completely stunned. The brunette cuddled in her neck like if she was a little kitten, and Emma embraced her kissing her forehead, still caressing her back skin.

Emma chuckled _'Too good for taking things slow…'_ she felt guilt traveling through her body as Regina lifted her head to kiss her lips tenderly.

"MOM, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!" They suddenly heard henry yell coming through the hall.

Regina raised her head and with a twist of her wrist pointing towards the door, the lock was on.

"The car's outside, I know you're there!" Henry said matter-of-factly.

"Give us a minute! Emma and I are working on something!" Regina said as she quickly gathered all of the clothes, throwing Emma her jeans and shirt, then with a snap of fingers she was fully clothed, leaving a clumsy blonde naked staring at her. "Oh for god's sake!" Regina muffled while snapping again her fingers to get the sheriff dressed up.

The mayor hurried to the door and opened it, letting a very upset Henry in.

"Henry, what's going on?" Regina said instantly worried.

Herry looked up to the roof, clearly trying not to cry. Emma got up and walked towards them. "Violet. Violet broke up with me." He said squeezing the upper part of his nose, clearly trying to hold up back the tears.

"What?!" Emma said while Regina hugged him.

"She is in love with someone else. She's with someone else." Henry said finally throwing out a sob against his mother's neck.

Regina and Emma looked at each other feeling a stab in their stomachs.


	6. Chapter 6: Somewhere in the Night

CHAPTER 6: SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry…" Regina said, soothing her son.

"I thought you both were doing fine…" Emma approached, placing one hand on Henry's back.

"I thought so too. This is so…" Henry said, trying to gain composure. "I thought this would never end." Henry let go from his mothers, somehow defeated. "I want to go to the Enchanted Forest too, mom." he said with determination looking at Regina.

"Okay! Let's settle something here. No one is going to the Enchanted Forest" Emma interjected. "Right?" She said looking at Regina.

Regina hold her gaze and smiled softly "Yes, Henry, your mother is right. Storybrooke is our home now. We're not going anywhere."

Emma felt her heart on fire. She was terrified but completely certain of what she wanted. This. Her family.

"Well, then I want to go there by myself, I don't care…"

"Look, kid. I get it, I really know how you're feeling, but it's going to be okay. I promise. And if not, I also promise we can talk about you going to the Enchanted Forest." Emma said, calmly.

"The hell you will!" Regina objected.

"Regina, he's not a kid anymore, is not such a crazy idea…" Emma said easily.

"HE IS A KID! He is fifteen!" Regina glared. "Miss Swan, if you think for one minute, that I will let my son to go alone to such a dangerous place, you're totally insane!"

"Don't fight." Henry said "I won't go. I just... I'll be in my room, just, don't fight." The sad teenager walked out of his mother studio.

"We're definitely getting better at this." Emma said.

"Indeed we are." The city mayor smiled to the blonde and took her hand to lead her back to the couch with such an ease Emma felt a tinkle in her stomach. "Just tell me you weren't really thinking to send him there…"

Emma laughed and rolled her eyes. "Are you really asking me that question?" She interwinced her fingers with the brunette's. "I told you that girl was bad news…"

"Do you think we should go with him?"

"Of course not, he needs space. You know how these things are, he will be fine." The blond started caressing Regina's arm, amazed about how natural the moment was.

"And, so…"

Emma threw herself to Regina and kissed her, and Regina of course followed the passionate kiss as if they just couldn't let go of this new phase they were beginning. For so long they have felt all this tension, growing bigger and bigger and getting totally ignored because of one thousand assumptions. As usual in these cases. Truth is, Emma had been wanting to kiss her again since the moment they separated just minutes before; mesmerized by the other woman's lips and that little delicious scar she had on her lip.

The fact of Emma being able to activate the energy of Regina's magic, was such a strange sensation. Strange but completely amazing. The former Queen was feeling it inside of her body and it was something else. It was completely new and intoxicating. She had never felt such a whirl, and is not like she hadn't been with another magical being before. This was different. Like she didn't know where her magic finished and Emma's began. Could Emma notice this? Regina placed her hand again on Emma's abs. There was so much to process, and they had so much to talk about, many things to settle and decide, but they couldn't just stop. Because when you're feeling these things, stopping is never really an option.

"Take me to your room." Emma said, kissing the other woman's neck, feeling the heat was definitely increasing.

"We're already there." Regina moaned. Emma opened her eyes and looked around her surprised, so with a twist of her hand the lights were off. She kept kissing Regina while slowly stripping her without any magic; she liked it old school style, and Regina was enjoying it like that.

Emma's hands were firm and confident, she did not doubt not one second when she sliped her hand under Regina's panties to grab her butt and squeeze it, right before getting her completely naked. The brunette moaned loudly and the blonde covered her mouth with her own, as she tangled her long naked legs and delighted into the blissful of feeling their bodies together.

"Oh Emma, you're so wet ..." Regina purred, feeling on her leg just how soaked the sheriff was, and with that she just lead one resolute finger to look for Emma's entrance.

The blonde was taken aback and arched her back, breathing heavily. This had to be heaven.

Regina's eyes got even darker than they were, she felt completely empowered watching the blonde moaning like she was, so she added an extra finger and started looking for Emma's g'spot. She had almost forgotten how glorious it was touching a woman like that. Feeling her muscles clenching her fingers, feeling those involuntary movements on the hips.

Emma was having a big trouble to remain silent. Her breathing was so deep and from time to time little moans escaped her lips, and Regina would kiss her then. She was going to finish like she hadn't done in years.

"Hold it on a little longer, I want to taste you…" Regina whispered seductively and confident.

Emma was barely able to watch anymore, and before that could even happen, she felt the wet and skilled tongue of the queen sliding expertly over her clit. "Oh god, Regina…" This was going over any of her wildest dreams. It was obvious this woman would know how to drive her crazy. Emma had always fantasied with the Queen surely being a sex goddes, so she was not really surprised, yet a part of her was shocked with the image of Regina Fucking Mills licking her like a panther enjoying a good piece of meat. Emma came undone in her mouth, with Regina's hands holding firmly her breasts.

Regina kissed all the way back to Emma's mouth, trying to clean her mouth with each kiss, since she wasn't sure what kind of lover the blonde would be. Would Emma flinch if she tried to kiss her after being down on her? With women, I guess you never really know until you know. The princes, however, welcomed her with an eager and hungry kiss, so the former Queen melted over her.

"This was something else…" Emma let out. "I guess we're not the best in taking things slow."

Regina rolled over to lay on her back. "Do you regret this?"

Emma smiled and reached for the other woman in a half-embrace. "Fuck it, I don't. We've done so much for everybody. I'm only a woman!"

"Well, well, Emma. Who would have thought you'd be so sure of all of this…" Regina said with a glint of disbelief.

"What do you mean…" Emma asked, taken aback.

"I don't know, I'm only waiting for the moment in which you fall over a sea of guilt. That would be the 'charming' thing to do." Regina teased.

Emma pursed her lips. "You and I are so used to everything just falling apart." She leaned on her side, caressing the mayor's skin softly, feeling the way her nipple contracted under her touch. "But I've known for a while, this is something I could never ever regret."

Emma kissed Regina once again, climbing over her. They started slow, but in a couple minutes their bodies were moving into each other again. It's easy to say that that would have kept going all-night-long, if it wasn't for the doorbell that broke the silence of the mayor's mansion.

"Fuck." Emma spat.

"Language…"

"Who could that be?" Emma said, troubled.

The doorbell sounded again. Emma walked to the window, trying to take a peek, and Regina took a moment to register the slim, pale body of her friend and all the things that ignited inside of her just by watching the blonde that way, walking around her room, naked, like if that place belonged to her.

"Shit." Emma said, starting to collect her clothes immediately. "Shit, shit, shit, shit…"

Regina rolled her eyes and with a snap of her fingers Emma was fully dressed. "Who is it?" Almost fearing the answer

"Thanks… Hook is here." Emma said, rushing to the sink to wash her hands and face. The doorbell rang once again. "I have to go." She said, walking out of the room. After a couple of seconds she came back. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Regina nodded. "Of course." And with that, the blonde left again.

The mayor sighed, she'd have loved having the time to talk about things and sort everything out, to really know what was coming for them now. She almost regret not spending the past minutes doing that instead of... No, she didn't regret it. She fell on her back again looking at the ceiling, thinking about the empowering sensation of her magic colliding with Emma's.

-.-.-

"Fuck, fuck..." Emma spat, walking down the stairs. She reached for her purse, finding her phone with about nine missed calls, until finally reaching the door. "Killian…"

Hook half-smiled, clearly relieved, "Emma. I was starting to worry."

"No, sorry. You're here!" Emma said, walking clumsy towards him to embrace him on a weak hug. "Regina and I were working something out. Family stuff…"

Hook answered with an inquisitive look, he was family too now, wasn't he? "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, sure, it's fine. Henry and Violet broke up, and you know…" The moment she said that, she felt the first ping of guilt. It was not a lie, and still felt like one.

"Damn. I can imagine, yes, it makes sense, you were with a real crisis over there." Hook said, nodding looking for one of Emma's hands.

"Yes, a little bit. But, hey! You're here!" She said, actually happy to see him back.

"I am! And, come with me, I want to show you something… Where is the bug?" Hook said, looking around for the yellow car.

"Oh. Yes, right, is not here. The cruiser is fucked up. I had to leave it behind in the park. Regina picked me up." Emma said.

"All right, then puff us to the docks." He said, anxious. The blonde took his hand, and a little confused just made them both disappear.

They landed at the pier, and after walking to the edge Hook gave a whistle. "So, how's the boy doing?"

"Well, sad of course. He said he wanted to leave to the Enchanted Forest." Emma said, shaking her head. "He'll be fine…" Suddenly a big fish came out of the sea with a big jump and fell again back into the water. "Whoa!" The blonde jumped back and grabbed her husband's arm to gain some balance.

Hook laughed. "Makara! Here, buddy!"

"What the ..." Emma said, as a six feet monster peeked out of the water. It was like the strangest mix of animals someone could ever imagine. The head seemed to belong to a small elephant, but the rest of the torso had front flippers just like a sea lion, and the rear body was somehow like a shark type.

"She followed me! Look at that. " Hook said, kneeling down.

"Be careful."

"No, are you kidding ?, she's friendly. Look. " He said, caressing the long elephant trunk that also tried to reach for the pirate.

"So, she?"

"I guess so, she lays eggs, right?" Hook answered matter of factly. "This is Emma, she's our friend. Say hi." He told his wife.

Emma was not a big fan of mythical creatures but she approached trying to touch the beast. The moment Makara was touched by the blonde, the amphibian went nuts. Jumping up and down and trying to go even closer.

"Easy!, easy." Hook said, jumping back as the beast finally jumped out of water over the wooden dock. The creature immediately used her trunk to smell the blonde, looking at her in a joyful way. "She definitely likes you…"

"Does she? How do you know?" Emma said, feeling a bit uneasy while the creature finished getting to know her.

"She'd be already gone if not. She's known to be a very selective and elusive creature."

"Well, lucky me." The sheriff took a step back and looked at the hour. "And what are we going to do now? Is it safe for this Makara thing to be around town just like that?"

"Of course." Hook said with confidence. He approached Emma and put his arm on her shoulder. "She's no risk. Trust me. I mean, what a better outcome for this, than Makara being friends with Storybrooke and deciding to hang around. She came here for a reason, Swan, she was afraid to get closer and now look at her. She's just like everyone in this town, isn't it? A foreign stranger"

Emma looked at the captain and sighed. "Sure. Anyway, I think we should stay on the ship tonight. Is better if we stay around the shore, just in case."

"All right, sheriff." Hook said, taking his wife's hand and walking towards his beloved Jolly Roger.

-.-.-

That night Emma couldn't sleep at all. The moment she and her husband got on the ship, he tried to start some after-sea action, to which she kindly refused, excusing herself with having a headache after a very long and weird day. The pirate didn't insist, sympathetic he kissed Emma good night and went straight to bed, throwing an arm over his wife's body.

The blonde was not completely sure of what step was the next one. Was she supposed to say something right now? She and Regina should have talked further. I mean, this was her husband. She couldn't just break things up and then realize the thing with Regina wouldn't be more than what just happened. Wouldn't that be mean to him? Or was it only selfish? It definitely sounded like the whole deal with Regina was a deep and meaningful thing, but it is not like she knew for sure what the mayor thought about going all-in with her. Right now she even felt a bit insecure of how to act with her the next morning. It was surreal. She had been like a horny teenager with Regina Mills just a couple hours ago, and the more the time passed by, the more it was feeling like the whole thing had happened in a strange life-parenthesis; it opened, they spent a moment in which they seemed to be the closest, but then it closed after she left the room. She thought about texting her, but stopped right away. What was she supposed to say? Some romantic good night tex,t while her husband was right next to her in the bed?

The next morning she opened the boat cabin's door and found Makara sleeping right outside the door. The beast was snoring loudly (just like Hook) and didn't pay attention to Emma, she barely gave her a sniff with her long nose without even opening an eyelid.

The moment the blonde got off the ship she dialed the Queen.

"Hello…"

"Hey…" The blonde said with a little ticklish in her stomach. "Ahm... Hey."

"Aren't you the most eloquent person in the world?" Regina said, clearly messing up with her.

"I suck at this." Emma said, blushing.

"Are you all right?" Regina asked softly. She had been as anxious as Emma the whole night.

"Yeah, yes. Are you?" Emma said, trying to sound confident. "I just had a long night, you know, and I think we left many things to talk about."

"Indeed we did." Regina said with her raspy sunday morning voice.

"How's Henry?"

"Heartbroken, still in bed. Where are you?" Regina said, after hearing a seagull through the phone.

"I'm at the docks, I actually want to show you something. You know, Mayor-Sheriff thing. Can you meet me here?"

"Of course. Give me five minutes."

-.-

Regina appeared looking as perfect as she always did, showing herself strong and confident with every graceful move, she didn't seem intimidated at all by the whole unclear situation with the other woman. The blonde approached her trying to remain as cool as the other. She just loved and admired Regina's temper so much.

"You look great." Emma said, feeling like an idiot right after saying it.

Regina smiled radiantly and Emma tried not to blush. Emma swallowed. Regina was such a magnetic woman, and the way she looked at her, with that specific amount of coquetry and somehow seduction, was exactly what made her stomach to actually ache. "You look great too."

Emma looked behind her shoulder. "Look, I'm kind of lost, right now…" The blonde closed her eyes and spat "I didn't tell anything to Hook yet."

"I didn't expect for you to tell him right away…" Regina said, shaking her head softly.

"Didn't you?"

"Of course not, Emma. I mean, we didn't even have the chance to talk." Reigna said approaching the blonde even more to speak in whispers. "I'm not a child, and just like people say around here, this is not my first rodeo."

"What do you mean?" Emma said, frowning.

"Well, I know how these things work, I guess." Regina said honestly, not feeling so proud. "I was married once, remember."

"I better not. That was my grandfather, and it's just weird." Emma said after a wince. She shook her head and said determinedly "I just want you to know that I want to be with you. There, I said it. But I must ask and rip the bandaid. Do you really want to be with me?, I know I'm not looking good right now, I'm fucking married and all, but..."

Regina looked at her confused. "I already told you…" she interjected, and after a deep breath she confirmed. "I really do, and it's crazy, and it's probably the worst time for this to be something, but it feels right."

Emma smiled, relieved and troubled at the same time. "Yes, it feels right. I can't believe this is really happening. I mean, that you actually feel something for me."

Regina rolled her eyes. "That's because you're an idiot" she said, shaking her head while trying to suppress a smile.

"Lovely to see you again, Madame Mayor!" Hook said, coming down from the ship.


	7. Chapter 7: Can Anyone Explain?

**_CHAPTER 7: CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN?_**

* * *

"Captain Jones, that was a quick trip, wasn't it?" Regina said, trying to sound casual. "Was it a successful one too?"

"Better than that!" Hook said in a good mood. "Makara!"

Regina threw a quick glance to Emma before watching the beast coming down from the ship, and jumping clumsy towards her. "Is that… Well, well, Captain Hook, it seems your mission exceeded expectations."

Hook smiled, satisfied. "Aye, indeed. Madame Mayor, I introduce to you: Makara!"

The creature finally reached for Regina and started smelling her with her long trunk, she was anxious. Started by the shoes and kept going up, taking a detailed sniff. Makara cheered and happily clapped her front slippers. The former Queen smiled, "Look at this, what a weird creature."

Makara turned around and jumped into the water, swimming away, jumping every once in a while until she was nowhere to be seen anymore.

Hook was mouth opened. "What the hell! You scared her away!"

"What?" Regina spat. "I didn't do anything!"

"You called her a weird creature!" Hook yelled, walking closer to the shore. "Come here, girl!" He turned around frustrated. "Fuck!"

"Ok, Killian, calm down. This was nobody's fault. It's a wild creature." Emma said.

"Did you get to collect some eggs, at least?" Regina said, upset with a sharp mayoral tone.

"I fucking did." Hook snorted. "Eight."

"Then, congratulations, Captain…" Regina said, rolling her eyes.

"She was my friend… I thought she would stay." He said, disappointed.

"Feel free to go for her. I think Emma can manage a couple of days more at the station." Regina said with excessive civility.

The blonde threw her a death glare and then gave Hook a soft punch in the arm. "Come on, Captain. That ship has sailed."

-.-.-

Emma and Hook spent the rest of the morning with the Charmings. Killian got into a deep conversation with David about his last days on the sea while Emma and Mary Margaret decided to get some coffee done.

"Rough night, huh?…" Mary Margaret said with a mischievous tone.

"Yeah." Emma mumbled with a yawn. "I didn't mean that!" The blonde exclaimed after one of her mother's giggles.

"Oh, Emma, come on, I know you're my daughter, but, we're practically the same age, you don't have to be ashamed." Mary Margaret said casually.

"I am not ashamed! Is just, I mean, I won't discuss my sex life with you! It's weird! And I actually didn't mean it like that!" Emma explained with a sigh. "I just had many things in mind."

"Because of Hook and the baby-talk?" Mary Margaret asked abruptly, trying to guess. Emma looked at her confused, so she hastened to add: "Henry told me it's a thing, he heard you guys talking about it."

"Geez, mom. Why do I bother trying to keep my life private?"

"Honestly, sweety, I don't know." Snow White said, careless. Her daughter laughed, accepting the lost cause.

Emma shook her head, serving her coffee, "I think I need to tell you something…" she said worried. Is not that Regina was rushing her or anything, she didn't even say a word on how she expected Emma to handle this, yet the blonde had settled, during her insomniac night, that if Regina wanted this whole thing, she would do everything she had to do. Not waiting for a 'perfect time', not in a month or a week. There wouldn't be a perfect time for this, that far she knew. She just couldn't imagine a world in which she would be tricking everybody into something that was about to fall into pieces. Especially not her family and especially not Hook. That would only hurt everybody, including Regina.

Mary Margaret felt uneasy when she realized this was something serious. "Of course, honey, you can tell me anything…"

Emma walked to the back door of the kitchen and made a sign to Mary Margaret to follow her.

Mother and daughter look to each other. "Tell me, sweetie." Snow White insisted.

Emma cracked her neck and took a deep breath. One, two, tree, "Regina and I got involved."

Mary Margaret nodded, almost patronizingly. "Involved into what, honey?"

Emma pursed her lips. "Into each other? Come on, mom, you know what I'm talking about."

Mary Margaret opened her eyes in realization. "What? When? I mean, I can't believe it!" She said, mouth opened. Then she swallowed the whole air around her "Emma, you're married!"

"Geez, Mary Margaret, I know that much!" Emma said, taking her hand to her own lips. "Shh. I know it's a lot to ask for you, but please, don't tell dad yet."

"Tell what? What am I supposed to tell your father, I mean, how involved you got?" Mary Margaret whispered with a grim.

"This is Regina we're talking about, I know you've known for a while." Emma said and then did an almost perfect imitation of her mother: "Ruby told me."

Snow White shook her head trying to understand. "Yes, I thought there were some feelings, but darling, you picked Killian, excuse me if I don't understand."

"I fucked up, mom. I got carried away with everything that happened and the way everything developed, it was like if there was an avatar, instead of me. The savior avatar! I don't know!" Emma tried to explain even further. "This just happened, like: now, not because I wanted but because it just did!"

"But you weren't married before, darling, why did you get married if you wanted something else…"

"Because that was something I never thought it could've happened." Emma answered while wondering the same question herself. "I know it sounds horrible..."

"You don't have to rush anything." Her mother rushed.

"Mom, I do. Because I want to be with her." Emma interjected.

"You could've said so before!" Mary Margaret hissed.

"When? When she was my family's enemy? Or maybe when she was in a relationship with Robin Hood? The time is now. Look, mom. I'm an adult…"

"I know," Mary Margaret hurried, she took a step back looking at her daughter with empathy. "I hope you're sure that you're not getting carried away right now, sweetie, I just wish you could think about this clearly."

"Believe me I know how it sounds. And I feel horrible. I wish everything were different right now, but this is something I have to do." The sheriff said with watered eyes.

Mary Margaret hugged her. "Then it's going to be okay, sweetie. You' know we'll support you no matter what."

Emma cleaned her eyes while hugging her mother, enjoying a feeling that she missed so much during her childhood.

"We have your back, honey."

-.-.-

Regina had spent that day cheering Henry up, until she finally left to her studio to do some paperwork. Every once in a while she thought about the whole thing with Emma. If only that pirate would have came back a couple of days later._ "I want to be with you…"_ she remembered Emma saying so. Regina smiled, relishing on how unexpected life was.

_"Henry brought me to Storybrooke to bring back happy endings. My job is not done until I do that for everybody, including you."_ She remembered hearing the blonde's voice while she was broken, crying in the bathroom at the city hall. "Wouldn't it be ironic?" The mayor whispered out loud, after thinking all over again on that specific tinkling in her magic combined with Emma's. It was crazy to think about everything that must have happened for them to find each other. A dark curse, to begin with. It was mystical, and as an experienced witch, she knew that.

-.-.-

Emma thought about her mother's words. She wasn't completely sure of the next step. She refused the idea of asking Regina for time, because she would totally hate to be in that same position, neither could she cope with the idea of deceiving Hook any further.

She had to talk with her husband.

Absentminded she smiled. She had thought about how Regina was about to leave everything behind to go to the Enchanted Forest and suddenly gave up on the idea, for her. What kind of feelings did they have for each other? She thought about it even further and realized she would do anything for that woman. She tried to guess how long Regina had feelings for her. She remembered about that time she had her first magic lesion with the Queen.

_"He brought me back to storybrooke…" She remembered herself talking about Hook with the mayor._

_"Oh. Of course he brought you back." Regina said with a tone._

_"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked cautiously, since it was one of the first friendly conversations between her and the other woman._

_"Seriously?" Regina said in disbelief. "You're going to pretend everyone doesn't see the yearning looks and doe-y eyes?"_

_"I don't yearn." Emma muttered realizing the brunette was somehow jealous._

_"Well, maybe. But he does."_

Emma let out a sigh.

"Hey, luv, want some rum?" Hook said in the next room.

"Sure. Please." Emma said guessing a dose of liquid courage could help.

"Why don't you just go with the boy?" Hook asked, coming with two drinks. He sat next to the blonde. "I can see you're worried."

Emma stared at her husband. "Is not just that, Killian…"

"The cruiser?" Hook said confused. "It's been long since I've seen you like this. I know you, luv.

"Is just. I don't know how to say it…" Emma started full in doubts. "Okay, I'm gonna say it. Lately I've been feeling, I mean, I wonder if this, I mean, us…"

"You're scaring me, Swan." Hook frowned.

One, two, three. "I think I need a break… from us." Emma whispered.

Hook stared at her, he stood up and walked to the window to close it. It had started to rain. He went back to the couch and sigh. "I don't get it. What happened?"

"Look, I love you, you are one of the most important people in my life, that's for sure, is just that…"

"You're not ready for a family…" Hook closed his eyes, believing he had understood it.

Emma thought about it, and realized the deep longing weighting on her heart. "Is just that I already have a family…"

Hook however didn't quite understand. "All right, so, we have Henry and you really don't want another kid. Is that so?"

Emma shook her head, then saw her phone. Henry was calling her. "Sorry, is Henry, give me a second."

"Sure." Hook mumbled like he was stunned.

"Hey, kid, how are you?" Emma said.

_"I've been better. I heard Hook is back."_

"Yup, he's here. Maybe you both can get some dinner later, and have a talk…" Emma said, trying to sound casual and giving Hook a soft loving punch on his shoulder to bring him back to earth.

_"I don't feel like going out yet. But tell him I'll see him soon. Hey, ma, is mom with you?"_

"No, kid, not since this morning."

_"Really?"_

"Yeah, why, haven't you checked on her studio? It's sunday, she must be doing paperwork."

"_I've been knocking the past three minutes and there's no answer, she isn't answering her phone either, I was pretty sure I'd find her with you, now I'm worried."_

Emma stood up. "Give me a moment, I'll be there. Keep looking for her and if you find her, call me." She finished the call and turned to Hook. "Henry can't find Regina. I'm going with him…"

Hook stood up "I'll go with you…" He said walking to the door to open it for Emma as the blonde nodded, hoping this was nothing to worry about.

-.-

Hook and Emma arrived at the mayor's mansion and Henry was already waiting for them at the door.

"I've just come from her vault, she's not there either. Hey, man…" Henry said to his mother's husband.

"Hey, bud." The pirate answered.

"Have you called anybody else?" Emma said, hurrying to the mayor's studio. The door was closed.

"Who else can she be with? You know she would have told me the minute she was going out of the house." Henry said as if it was obvious.

"We have to open the door." Emma said looking at Killian. Henry was right and she was starting to feel a big hole in her stomach.

With a firm kick to the lock the door was opened. Hook took a step back and Emma walked into the studio. There were papers stacked at the side of the desk. The blonde read a post-it over them. "Monday meeting."

"Did you get to bring eggs from Makara?" Henry asked, looking to the floor. Emma snorted realizing she was in fact, the only one, who hadn't been hearing the pirate everytime he talked about his last expedition.

"I brought some, why?" Hook said absentminded.

Henry bent down and reached for what appeared to be half of an eggshell. "I think she left to the Enchanted Forest…"

Emma turned to Henry and saw the shell in his hands. She frowned, feeling her heart racing and burning at the same time.


	8. Chapter 8: Stormy Weather

_**CHAPTER 8: STORMY WEATHER**_

* * *

Emma approached Henry and took the shell from her hands. It was a shell twice the size of a normal egg and gleaming white, like a pearl. She felt suffocated, it made no sense.

"Why would she go to the Enchanted Forest?" Hook said with a frown.

"She was going through a phase." Henry muttered in a broken voice.

"No." Emma said with determination. "It is impossible. Regina had given up on the idea, and she would never have left without saying goodbye to you. " The Sheriff took her son by the shoulders. "Come on, Henry, you know that as well as I do."

Henry nodded slightly. "You're right. She was actually in the best mood all day. I haven't seen her like that since Robin and Roland were around."

"Maybe she had to leave because of an emergency..." Hook offered.

"And what about this?" Emma said, holding the shell, to which the pirate simply nodded taking it in her hands. "Let's go to the station, Henry, stay here and let me know if she comes back." Saying the latter more as a protocol than because she thought it would be so. She motioned for her deputy to follow her.

-.-.-

The blonde felt her mind knotted and reviewed her last conversation with the woman hundreds of times. So what if she had decided to leave because she didn't want to get Emma into such conflict. No, it didn't make sense. Emma reassured herself over and over again as she remembered that Regina would never have left without saying goodbye to Henry. She knew that woman and knew that even if she could have been evil once, even if she could ever do horrible things, she was the best mother in the world.

Hook looked at his wife from time to time, it was clear that she was worried but he did not understand why she seemed so fragile as if she could break at any moment. "Did you know she was going through a phase?"

"No, I mean, well, she mentioned it a few days ago. But she did not leave, Killian, it is impossible. " Emma said, shaking her head.

"I know it goes against the odds. I wouldn't believe she would leave without saying goodbye to Henry either, but maybe she did. It's not always easy to say goodbye. " Hook said with a shrug.

Emma said nothing the rest of the way to the station. She spent the rest of the afternoon making calls to some residents of the places Regina used to visit most often. She was discreet about the matter, saying that the woman had forgotten her phone and was having trouble locating her. The station phone rang and Emma got it right away.

_"Emma, sweetheart! What's going on?"_ Mary Margaret said on the other side of the phone.

"Mom. I guess Henry told you, but not now. Please." Emma said in a sharp tone.

_"Just let me know if you need anything…"_ Her mother mumbled.

"I will. I'll call you later."

"You were with her last night." Hook muttered inquisitively just as Emma hung up the phone.

"What?"

"We have to gather information on her latest movements." The deputy said as he examined his police information manual. "Was there something that caught your attention last night?"

Emma snorted, wrapped in that question. Definitely something had caught her attention: the softness of that woman, her determination to let go and kiss her as if there were no tomorrow. She felt a prick in her heart. So what if there really was no tomorrow?

"She was fine. She was happy." Emma mumbled. "Look, anything from last night just makes me sure she wouldn't leave us."

And it wasn't really the whole phrase as much as the last word, but as soon as it came out of her mouth, Emma and Hook exchanged a quick glance that both detoured to a lost stare, and the blonde knew immediately that the pirate felt an intuitive hunch that he tried to disguise just as much as she did.

Hook nodded, and Emma knew the man, she saw how he tried to hide the pain in his eyes. Had he connected the dots? "Well, then. I just don't know." The deputy mumbled without looking Emma in the eye.

"Look, I think we better go home." The pirate said after a sigh. "You know the protocol. We have to wait 24 hours. for this to be a disappearance. "

Emma nodded, biting her lip. "I think I'm going to spend the night with Henry at her house. Just in case…"

"It's okay." Hook interrupted. "Yes. Henry needs you. I… I can walk home." He said

"I can drop you there…" Emma said, weakly.

"No, love, it's all right. I need to take a walk." The pirate gave a half smile and left the station.

-.-.-

Emma went to the mayor's mansion with Henry, and after convincing him to have dinner (because it is what Regina would have done in these cases), she reassured him and convinced him to go to bed. "Try to sleep. I promise that if necessary, we will go for her, okay?"

Henry nodded. "It has been the worst day of my life. Do you think I should write to Violet? "

Emma shook her head. "What? Of course not." She said effusively. "At least wait a couple more days. You promise?"

Henry gave a sad snort. "All right. Good night, Ma. "

Emma opened the door to Regina's room, and looked at the bed in which they had been together just the night before. The amount of emotions running through her was immense. She fell on her back over the soft mattress and one thought after one thought she fell asleep.

The next day, Emma woke up with the feeling you get when the information settles and you slowly understand the option that you did not want to accept from the beginning. Regina was gone. She went down to the kitchen looking for coffee and began to prepare it almost automatically.

"Good morning, ma." Henry said entering the kitchen, crestfallen.

"Good morning, kid ..." Emma said bitterly.

Henry looked at her closely. He didn't need to be a genius to realize Emma was completely out of whack. "What are we going to do now?" He said as confused as the blonde.

Emma went to him and hugged him. "I'm not sure."

After a few moments she decided to call the mayor's office to cancel Monday's meeting and summoned a council meeting for that night. The doorbell rang and Henry went to open it. The Charming along with Ruby and Dorothy entered with a heroic aura. Emma rolled her eyes and tried as hard as she could to avoid the apprehensive glance her mother was giving her.

"Just say the words. We'll help you with anything." Ruby said with determination, and the blonde wondered if perhaps her mother had already told her about her entanglement with the mayor.

"Tell us, daughter. What's the plan?" David said lovingly.

"There's no plan." Emma said and pursed her lips. "I guess the mayor decided to take another path." She added trying not to feel so deeply hurted by those words.

"Ma… You said we would look for her." Henry said, closing his eyes.

Emma walked towards him and holded his hand. "Look, I don't know what to say. She left and I don't know what to do to change that." She said with watered eyes as she found Captain Hook standing at the door frame.

Hook looked at her with saddened eyes and sighed. "She didn't leave ..." Emma held his gaze and for a moment she could have sworn they had a bit of a telepathic moment, in which she realized how hard it had been for him to bring to her this new piece of information.

"What do you mean?" She said softly.

"Because I've just been at my ship's chamber and the eight of the Makara's eggs are still there in my trunk." And then he quietly stared at Emma when he added. "The Queen didn't leave, Emma."

Emma swallowed and turned her eyes away to break the eye contact as a storm started pouring outside the mansion.

"If all of the eggs are there, how did my mom have one?" Henry said, confused.

And just like that, a sudden cloud of purple smoke appeared in the middle of the lobby, showing the former queen as soon as it dissipated. She was wet from head to toes and her face somehow bruised.

"Regina!" Emma said, hurrying towards her when she fell the mayor was losing balance.

"I'm fine." Regina said, trying to regain some composure when she found her home filled with people. She stared at Emma with intensity and taking some air, she said trying to sound regal. "Sheriff, can you come with me to my office, please?"

Emma nodded clumsy and they both walked to the studio. Regina gave a squeeze to one of Henry's hands as she passed next to him. Mary Margaret gave a quick glance to Hook, uncomfortable with the whole situation as she noticed the pirate had an uneasy look.

The moment the studio door closed, Regina threw herself into Emma's arms.

"Fuck, Regina, where the hell were you?" She said, hugging the other woman tightly. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, dear, I thought for a moment I would never see you again." The brunette said with a broken voice.

Emma took a step back to look at the woman "I thought you left."

Regina crashed her lips against the blonde's, and hugged her again. "I was so afraid of you thinking exactly that!" The brunette let go and walked to the mirror to look at the state of her face. "I had to take a despicable trip to the kingdom of Shambhala."

"Shambwhat?What are you talking about, woman?"

"I'm saying the Makara creature your husband brought to the town, was in fact a spy-pet of Queen Ganga." The former Queen said between her teeth. With a snap of her fingers she changed into dry clothes. .

"Can you be more specific?" Emma frowned.

"I happen to have an old debt with the kingdom of Shambhala, so old I didn't even think it would have to be paid." Regina said upset.

"What do you mean? What is that place? What are you talking about."

Regina closed her eyes and hated having to talk about this. "When I planned to take your mother's kingdom, I realized I was going to need an army. So I found the way to get one."

Emma was now afraid to ask, nevertheless, she did, "And what's the debt about?"

"I'm supposed to be engaged to Ganga's son, and now he's back to his momma, after years and years of his wars and his conquering-everything, and he wants to settle down."

Emma tried to digest the mayor's words, but again, she felt lost, learning of the existence of a new kingdom that she had never heard of. "What does that mean, Regina?"

"It means, in about three months I have a wedding to attend. Mine." Regina said, looking at Emma with an apprehensive look."Otherwise fatal consequences will fall on storybrooke."


End file.
